Maysville TDay Ramble

Date: Nov 28 Fri
Weather: 45F, sunny
Mileage: 37
November mileage: 547
Year to date: 3020

We went to the in-laws in the country on Friday and Saturday for that portion of the TDay festivities. With that in mind, I hatched a plan to have the family drop me off on the way to give myself a fun and rural Friday ride. Originally I had planned a 50-miler leaving from Millersburg. We left quite late and I had concerns about lighting in the latter reaches of the ride. I could've taken the LHT with its SON, but I wanted Bleriot miles. As a compromise I took the the helmet with the Princeton light and a rear flashie for those last few moments of light and ended up doing 37 miles on the Forest Retreat/Maysville ride. I won't go into a long ride review because fundamentally it was a very rural ride with several roads that didn't really even have homes on them; it was the true "sticks". The ride was also punctuated with several short, sharp hills, all of which I cleared without walking. Below are the 3 memorable ones, including data gleaned from mapmyride.com. All 3 have have portions that ascend in the teens, as far as gradient goes. It was fun.

• 1029 near Blue Licks climbing up to a short pitch at 18-20% and several at 7-10% in the .6m climb- 203ft ascension in .6m

• 5 Lick Creek Rd was a .4m climb straight up side of hill into Sardis with a quick 20%, then flattening a bit then up a steady 7-10%- 100ft ascent in .3m

• Lowell Rd. up to 596 out of Smith Creek valley was another .6m climb with a quick 20% followed by some 6%, then more 20% then leveling off before finishing at 5%- 210ft ascent in .6m

I did finish in the waning light, with both front and rear light blazing. I finished relatively strong and was wishing for 15 more miles to ride. Here are some images of said ride:

The ride started near the Forest Retreat Tavern. This portion looks classically Bluegrass with the gentle fields and black fences.

Barterville intersection. It took me a second to find the 1244 sign at the corner of the building.

Ridge top view on Bald Hill Road. This was as good as riding gets on this ridge.

Country bike leaning on country gate. I stopped here to take off first layer of wool short-sleeve shirt. Later in the shadows I wish I had kept it on.

Blue Licks Lodge no.495- You can see the Grange symbol on the front.

Old Blue Licks bridge. It's closed to cards, but bikes and walkers can sneak by.


Lovely Licking River.


Beginning of Old 5 Lick Rd. Mostly the entire road was this dark and claustrophobic.


"Bridge" on Lowell Rd. These are pretty common. When it rains alot, the water just goes over the bridge.


Bleriot on Brandywine Rd. Although not a great pic, it brings memories and thought. Firstly, the Brandywine divides the Shire from Buckland. Secondly, my parents' home in PA was very near the Brandywine. These areas- PA and KY- @ the Brandywine couldn't be more different save the name.


Very close to the house, I saw this ass and his troop of goats and sheep. I think there were 3 asses in all.